Telomere length and physical performance among older people – the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

Publication date: Available online 3 September 2019Source: Mechanisms of Ageing and DevelopmentAuthor(s): Max J. Åström, Mikaela B. von Bonsdorff, Mia-Maria Perälä, Minna K. Salonen, Taina Rantanen, Eero Kajantie, Mika Simonen, Pertti Pohjolainen, Markus J. Haapanen, Maria A. Guzzardi, Patricia Iozzo, Hannu Kautiainen, Johan G. ErikssonAbstractTelomere length has been suggested a biomarker of aging and is associated with several chronic diseases. However, the association between telomere length and physical performance is not well known. Using both cross-sectional and longitudinal data, we studied 582 women and 453 men from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study at two time-points; a baseline examination in 2001-2004 at a mean age of 61 years and a follow-up examination approximately 10 years later in 2011-2013. Telomere length was measured both at baseline and at follow-up using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Physical performance was evaluated only at follow-up using the Senior Fitness Test (SFT), which assesses strength, flexibility and endurance. In women, shorter telomere length at follow-up (p = 0.044) and greater telomere attrition during follow-up time (p = 0.022) were associated with poorer physical performance after adjusting for covariates (age at baseline, smoking status, body mass index at baseline, follow-up time and educational attainment). No similar associations were found for men. This indicates that, at least in women, telomere length...
Source: Mechanisms of Ageing and Development - Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research